Underway replenishment system for space vehicles

Abstract

An underway replenishment system is used to deliver payloads and supplies to an orbiting receiving space vehicle. This system combines the advantages of the maneuverability of a delivering space vehicle with the large payload capacity of expendable launch vehicles to minimize payload delivery cost. Large payloads are launched into low orbit with expendable launch vehicles. A delivering space vehicle rendezvous with the independently launched payloads and assembles them into a payload stack. The receiving space vehicle located at a higher orbit deploys a tether towards the orbital path of the delivering space vehicle located at a lower orbit, and the tether is used to capture and retrieve the payload from the delivering space vehicle to the receiving space vehicle.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A system for underway replenishment of an orbiting receiving space vehicle comprising: 
       a tether retrieval system coupled to the receiving space vehicle; and  
       at least one orbiting payload adapted to be coupled to the tether retrieval system;  
       wherein tether retrieval system includes a mechanism that retracts the tether to transfer the orbiting payload from a position remote from the receiving space vehicle to a position in close proximity to the receiving vehicle;  
       wherein the mechanism includes a tether system base, a tether reel assembly coupled to the tether system base, a tether coupled to the tether reel assembly at a proximal end thereof, and a tether distal end component coupled to the distal end of the tether; and  
       wherein the tether retrieval system further includes a payload assembly fixture coupled to a delivering space vehicle that enables a plurality of orbiting payloads to be coupled together and attached to the tether distal end component.  
     
     
       2. A system for underway replenishment of an orbiting receiving space vehicle comprising: 
       a tether retrieval system coupled to the receiving space vehicle; and  
       a delivering space vehicle including a payload assembly fixture, wherein the delivering space vehicle includes means for capturing payloads in Earth orbit and installing the payloads on the payload assembly fixture to form a payload stack;  
       wherein the payload stack is adapted to be coupled to the tether retrieval system; and  
       wherein tether retrieval system includes a mechanism that retracts the tether to transfer the payload stack from the delivering space vehicle to a position in close proximity to the receiving vehicle.  
     
     
       3. A method of transferring payloads between a delivering space vehicle and a receiving space vehicle comprising: 
       launching the delivering space vehicle into Earth orbit;  
       launching a plurality of payloads into Earth orbit;  
       capturing and installing the payloads onto a payload assembly fixture provided in the delivering space vehicle to form a payload stack;  
       maneuvering the delivering space vehicle into proximity with the receiving space vehicle, wherein the receiving space vehicle includes a tether retrieval system that includes a retractable tether; and  
       using the tether retrieval system of the receiving space vehicle to transfer the payload stack from the delivering space vehicle to the receiving space vehicle by retracting the tether.